My image library

I know I'm always posting images of trees & flowers, but I suppose away from my making, I'm constantly looking & I'm regularly inspired by the glorious nature around me.

This year, here in the UK, the Winter has been longer than ever. It seems an age before the temperature has risen enough to make the plants bloom, bud & pop. So, this year more than most, I've been acutely aware of the beauties of Spring.

My surface design work has also bloomed, much of which is flora themed... Due to lack of flowers around me this year, I have invested in wonderful gardening books for inspiration.

Now, finally, as the plants are growing away, I'm also photographing all flowers & foliage obessively, in the hope that next Winter, in the depths of December, I have a library of images I can refer to as inspiration. I'm hoping to share some of my images & design work soon.

In the meantime, here are some images I took on my simple camera phone over the May bank holiday weekend in Winchester, Hampshire, UK - the soon to be location for my wedding in June.

Featured! In Best of British Accessories Article

The Upcoming is a fab online magazine and this month in their new 'Best of British Accessories' feature, they have reviewed one of my lovely Leather Heart Zip Purses! Hooray!

At £22.50 they are a beautful handcrafted bargin!

You can read the article at http://www.theupcoming.co.uk/2013/04/24/the-best-of-british-must-have-accessories/

Thanks to Lisa for the great review!

It did it - Talent Development Bursary!

It has been an exciting few weeks around my way! I was one of the successful winners of the Aspace’s new Talent Development Bursary. I can’t believe it, I’m so thrilled! The programme enables practising artists to propose and realise a bespoke professional development project, facilitating artists to reach their long-term career goals and ambitions.

  

I am using the bursary to launch the surface design aspect of my practice. I will be attending courses at the London College of Fashion, visiting trade shows and investing in IT equipment and design software.  I’m thrilled to be able to invest in this side of my practice and hope that in the future, I will be expanding into a stand-alone range of surface/textile designs and illustrations. As the programme progresses through to its completion in April 2014, I’ll be blogging about what I get up to in the next year!

If you wish to check out the other lucky eight artists – you can follow a link through them below

Steve White / Helen Marland / Fang Gleizes / Liz Jones / Chris Cudlip / Eileen White / Esther Coombs

It is really inspiring to know that you can move your business in a direction that wasn’t possible before and the injection of money has made all the difference.  Should you fancy applying for the next round later in 2013, please read more about it at http://www.aspacearts.org.uk/projects/talent-development/#.UQUYrUr7GpU

Good Luck!

The smell of sea salt ...

Today is Easter Sunday & we headed off to Durdle Door on the Dorset coast. It is the first time in weeks that the sun has come out. There is nothing more meditative than the sound of the sea, the smell of salt in the air & the heat of the sun on your face. It was almost (for a few hours) a holiday!

Bliss!

(and a pecan, maple chocolate slice - yum!)

In Print

An article about the new Sorting Office studios in Eastleigh Borough News. Yes, that's me on my sewing machine...

Were you lucky enough to read the article?

Goodbye Old Studio, Hello New Studio!

All moved out - My old studio at the Arches

Corridors at the Arches Studios

New Studio at the Sorting Office

New Studio - Still unpacking!

My Sunny Window & My Cutting Table!

It has been a long few days of shifting, lifting boxes and furniture but I'm finally moved into my new studio at the Sorting Office Studios Eastleigh, Hampshire.

It is a complete change from my previous space at the Arches Studios in Southampton. The Arches is based under a road bridge in Southampton City centre; it is a fantastic creative space –although windows are few, the soothing rumble of cars overhead is one of its great charms! It has been a fantastic place and I am very sad to leave my extended family down there. But times change, business practices progress and sometimes things move on.

The Arches was a great incubator space for my business – it gave me the freedom to expand and grow in ways I could not have done working from home. As residents have come and gone, the friendships have blossomed and I have to admit that I have made friends for life through being there. Over the last few years I have moved 8 miles out of the city and the grind of the commute into Southampton in the morning was becoming more and more frustrating; so much so that I was getting to the Arches at 7:30am, just to beat the traffic.

It has been a long time coming but I'm finally moved into the Sorting Office. It has been a long journey and glad I held on to be able to become one of the very first residents. It is an amazing 5 min drive from my house and on warmer days, I'm planning on walking in.

It is based in the old Eastleigh Royal Mail Sorting Office; behind the shops off Market Street. It is light, airy and for the first time I have a studio with a window and natural daylight. The rumble of cars overhead has been replaced by birdsong, the beeps of reversing good vehicles and the sound of the frequent planes landing at Eastleigh Airport. I'm in love. I can't wait to watch the 'big tree' outside my window blossom and bloom with the changing seasons.

The new residents are all amazing and so far, all women! We are all finding our communal feet and I am looking forward to featuring them on this blog and the amazing stuff we achieve. Our first Open Day will be in June 2013 – so along with my wedding, June will be an exciting month. Watch this space for dates and time, and please pop in for a nosey around.

Moving Studios...

Little Red Designs is on the move. After 6 or so years at the Arches Studios in Southampton, I am relocating to the brand new The Sorting Office studios in Eastleigh. Although I will be sad to leave the Arches and the amazing 'family' I have there, I am secretly really excited! (Hoorrray!)

Image is Copyright of Eastleigh Borough Council

My application was accepted in December 2012 and I have been quietly waiting for the big move.

You can read about the new studio's here ... But as it says...

"The Sorting Office is the latest addition to the growing portfolio of creative hubs in Eastleigh and is part of an exciting European-funded enterprise programme called RECREATE.

The new space offers affordable workspace to artists and creative industries within a supportive environment to help residents to develop their practises and grow their creative businesses.

Converted from Eastleigh's former Royal Mail Sorting Office built in the 1920s. 

The RECREATE programme, backed by the European funding agency Interreg, consists of 16 partner organisations in England and France and will allow residents at The Sorting Office to become part of a cross-Channel creative business community, with access to new markets and opportunities to take part in mentorship and exchange programmes".

I am really excited and I cannot wait to move in next few weeks. There may be some minor disruption to my replies to emails, and I may need to slightly extend my leadtime, but I will endeavour to keep it as smooth as possible.